For a long time, the few things that could easily move around heavy machinery was trains. So lets say that there’s a train on a track, and its broken down and it either needs repairs, extra parts, or a replacement engine. Right behind it are several other trains, because this is a busy line.
How does a train bringing repair or extra engines deal with this? Its not like they can go right up to the broken down train because there’s other trains in the way. How do they get rid of the broken engine and the other carriages, because they’re on top of the tracks, and there’s no other tracks for them to move onto.
In: Engineering
I’m a train driver. In general, as long as the faulty train can still roll, you either get a locomotive or another train to tow it back to the depot for repair. If the faulty train can’t roll, rolling stock technicians will go out to the site with devices called “wheel skates” to place under the wheels of the faulty carriages. Then the train can be towed back to the depot for repair, but very slowly.
Also, bear in mind that most trains can move both forwards and backwards. So if you do have a busy line, the trains stuck behind the faulty train have the option of reversing back to the previous junction where they can then switch to an alternate route to their destination.
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